Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-12-01
A DETECTIVES STORIES.

In my profession as detective have
often been asked if / believed in the
virtue of circumstantial evidence. In
every instance / have replied in the
affirmative. While the profession may
make man hard-hearted and anxious
10 convict it is nevertheless
81 certain fact that a complete
,ihain of circumstantial evidence
tgainst a criminal will settle his case
sooner than half dozen respectable
witnesses. Lawyers can browbeat and
confuse witnesses, and the veracity of q
witness can be slurred or impeached,
hut when you strike against circum-
,tance it is not SO easy to step over it
ar explain it away. / have been an
interested party in two cases where
,ircumstantial evidence convicted the
wrong persons but still, if on a jury
where circumstances were against the
prisoner, / should not hesitate to weigh
everything against him.
Many years ago, when was a young
man of eighteen, / ran away from my
uncle, to whom / was apprenticed. He
lad farm near Liverpool, Medina
county, Ohio, and he was u man who
had not one jot of pity for or mercy on
inan or animal. His wife lived in NOR
tal fear of him, and look from him
would make his children tremble. Our
family lived q hundred miles away, and
we knew little or nothing of Uncle
,Iabez. He came out on visit, seemed
TO take a liking to me, and he gave my
father 800 to apprentice me for three
years. ! liked farm work, and as Uncle
,Iabez was on his good behavior while
visiting us, Twas by no means opposed to
the arrangement. No sooner had we
arrived at his home than he became a
tyrant and slave driver. was over
worked, half fed, scoldcd, and mall
treated, and one night, after the promise
0f ''good licking" in the morning,
tied up my few personal effects. dropped
from my chamber window and set out
FOR Cleveland Uncle Jabez was man
who would demand his pound of flesh
and more. If / returned home he would
follow on and make me captive. As
soon as he missed me he would raise q
great hue and cry over the country, and
1 felt that my only safe course was to
reach some large city and lose myself in
the mass.
The farm was twenty-five miles from
Cleveland. l could have walked the
distance In seven hours, as it was cool
autumn night, and the roads were good,
but for the first ten miles did not dare
Use the highway. Teams were coming
and going aud farmers moving about,
and wanted to cover my tracks from
Uncle Jabez. With the difficulties in
my path / did not enter Cleveland until
about o'clock next morning. had
not yet reached the business portion,
and was walking in the middle of the
street, country fashion, when made a
rich find. In the dust lay three dia-
mond rings, two ladies' watch chains,
and several charms and lockets. They
were scattered about as If they had fallen
from some vehicle passing over the road.
I picked them up of course, and there
being no one near me continued on my
way. I had never found anything of
value in my life before, and I did not
know exactly how to proceed. knew,
of course, that had no right to the
property, nor did have the remotest
intention of converting it to my use.
The trouble was that did not know ex.
actly what course to take. being but a
young, green boy. At home would
have gone to my father or a neighbor.
but under present circumstances I was
puzzled. had heard of policemen, but
never saw one. I finally made up my
mind to accost the first one I met and
ask him what to do
About four squares beyond where I
had found the jewelry l stopped at
German grocery to ask for drink of
water. There was a boy about IA years
old in the store, aud he told me to 90
around the side way to a pen-stock. I
was drinking when dog rushed al me
and was 50 determined to bite mo that I
had to keep him Of with nv feet The
German and his wife r,,shed ont and at.
tackled me and as / got out Of the cate .
policeman came np and seized me
There had been row enough to collect
I.